The instant invention is a new and improved means to collect and dispose of urinary incontinence fluid. For purposes of this application, it is referred to simply as an incontinence device. It is particularly applicable to older adults living in nursing homes but has application wherever urinary incontinence requires control. Existing in the marketplace are products to control urinary incontinence include a large diaper like device that is simply changed like a baby's diapers several times a day. These are rather messy and somewhat difficult to use in nursing homes and the like. Another system is offered by Hollister Incorporated, Libertyville, Ill., that consists of a long plastic pouch with a flanged inlet. The flanged inlet is actually bonded to the user's skin after shaving and cleaning around the pubic area. This makes for an uncomfortable and difficult to change and use system. The skin contacting adhesive used in the Hollister system, called the Female Urinary Incontinence Pouch, is covered by U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,785.
Applicant's instant invention incontinence device offers substantial advantages over the disposable diaper concept and the Hollister system. It does not require direct attachment to the skin and is extremely easy to use and change. It takes the form of a disposable, normally transparent plastic, collection reservoir that is inserted into a cutout in a liner in a special brief. The brief is adjustable so that it is made to hold the opening in the collection reservoir snugly against the body. The brief is easily removable with no pain or irritation to the user since there is no direct attachment to the skin.
An additive to the collection reservoir is a bactericidal agent to prevent infectious growths. Another substance that may be added to the collection reservoir is a gelation agent. This agent causes the urine to gelatinize so that it will not back up into the body cavity. The gelatinized urine is easy to dispose of along with the instant invention's reservoir.
It is also an option of the instant invention that an overnight urine collection valve can be installed in its urine collection reservoir. The urine is then, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, aspirated into a collection device. It is optionally preferred that a mild vacuum be utilized to help in this aspiration of collected urine.